The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday blocked the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s eviction moratorium, thereby opening the door for property owners to evict residents behind on rent amid the pandemic. The ruling comes after the CDC on Aug. 3 issued a federal moratorium for 60 days, expiring on Oct. 3. According to Census Bureau data from early August, about 3.5 million people in the country said they faced eviction in the next two months. The CDC’s policy was challenged by a coalition of landlords and real estate groups in Alabama and Georgia. They argued that the CDC did not have the authority to implement the moratorium. In an unsigned opinion (pdf) on Thursday, the court’s majority said that the CDC lacked the authority to issue the moratorium without authorization from Congress. The court rejected arguments from the Biden administration supporting the CDC’s authority. The administration also justified holding back evictions in areas where transmission …